


We Fell In Love, As The Leaves Turned Brown.

by earthseraph



Category: Supernatural
Genre: A lot of protective people, Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, College Freshman!Cas, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, High School Senior!Dean, Jock!Cas, M/M, Way more fluff- trust me, nerd!dean, slight homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 21:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1526534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earthseraph/pseuds/earthseraph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Destiel HS AU prom dance?</p>
<p>----</p>
<p>Dean slowly took the stairs, one hand on the rail while the other was pushing his glasses up. He could feel a deep flush pushing through his cheeks and ears, a smile flicking up on the corners of his lips and the large thump of his heart beating in his chest. Dean looked up at Cas with a shy smile when he stepped down off the stairs and on to the hardwood floor. His smile was met with a slightly crooked one, gummy and toothy and utterly beautiful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Fell In Love, As The Leaves Turned Brown.

**Author's Note:**

> Title totally not based off of [Calvin Harris- Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebXbLfLACGM).
> 
> Sorry this took me forever anon! But I was having a hard time writing somethings. Yeah, enjoy!

Dean gave himself a look over in the mirror. He was dressed to the nines- decked out with a three piece suit that smelled like dry cleaners and his cologne. His glasses were resting on the bridge of his nose, slightly crooked from the last time he was “accidentally” pushed into a locker and his hair was a little more tame rather than the wind-swept look he usually went with during school days. His tie was nice and snug in the hollow of his throat, green and shining- newly bought by his mother because she claimed that ‘it brought out his eyes’ and his shoes were so shiny that if someone reflected a light off of them they might blind them self. 

Dean wiped his hands on his slacks. He was nervous. Not because he was going to the dance that was pretty much the end of the high school line for him but because he was going to the dance with his boyfriend of almost one year. His very secrete, college, was-the-top-dog-last-year-jock boyfriend. The guy that would beat up anyone who so much as looked at him wrong without giving them a reason why (because, you know- secret). The guy that didn’t come out until recently (only to both their parents and families) and was going to display his homosexuality in front of all of the jocks, bullies and random students who looked up to him tonight. The guy that was crowned prom king last year and somehow happened to decide that Dean- resident nerd at Lawrence High- was the person he wanted on his arm this year. The guy that Dean loved so much he felt like he was drowning in salty water and didn’t know how to swim to the surface. 

Yeah, that guy. 

Dean glanced at the digital clock on his nightstand. The green lights blinked back, telling him that he had less than a few seconds before Cas came in and swept him off his feet. Dean shot himself one more nervous glance in the mirror before walking to the door. He smiled when he heard the quiet murmur of Cas’ rough voice flow up the stairs and the airy reply of his mother’s. He sucked in a shaky breath, laughing to himself because he’s about to do the cliche walking down the stairs thing and then his parents and boyfriend are going to do the equally as cliche taking pictures and smiling thing. It was just like a movie. And he was pretty okay with that.

Dean slowly took the stairs, one hand on the rail while the other was pushing his glasses up. He could feel a deep flush pushing through his cheeks and ears, a smile flicking up on the corners of his lips and the large thump of his heart beating in his chest. Dean looked up at Cas with a shy smile when he stepped down off the stairs and on to the hardwood floor. His smile was met with a slightly crooked one, gummy and toothy and utterly beautiful. 

Cas himself was also dressed up. A tux that fit him like an extra layer of skin, with the same green tie as Dean’s and with a little box holding a corsage in his hands. 

Dean blushed when Cas took the corsage out of the box- yellow sunflowers, white daisies, all tied with a light green ribbon that almost matched their ties but was a shade or two too light. It was perfect either way- and slipped it on Dean’s wrist. Soft fingers and touches making a stupid giggle want to burst out of Dean’s mouth. Dean caressed the corsage with the tips of his fingers, the soft petals making his skin freckle with goose bumps. He looked up at Cas and smiled again, this time his smile was filled with love and adoration. He knew his parents were probably watching him with dreamy smiles while he watched Cas with his own- but he’s too caught up in the fact that he’s being taken to prom by Cas and they don’t have to hide anymore. 

“Pictures!” 

Dean jumped, slipping out of his trance at the excited shrill that came from his mom.

They posed for pictures. Hands on waist, then hugging by the door. Keeping it PG in front of the parents no matter how bad Dean just wanted to kiss the little smile of his boyfriend's face and replace it with swollen lips and a dopey little smirk.

His smile is what made Dean fall for him. 

_Dean was just a sophomore when it happened. He was in the library studying for some test he can’t even remember when a loud and rowdy group of guys walked into the library like they owned it. Dean knew they were jocks- from the lettermans and how he knew all their names from their profound popularity- so he tried to keep his head down in his book as much as possible to stay away from trouble. But that’s when Cas came trailing behind them, arm over some girl’s shoulders and looking straight at Dean. Dean froze where he was, hand midway to his face to push up his glasses and mouth slightly parted from the breath he was going to finish taking. Dean figured it was just sheer luck that Cas smiled straight at him- all toothy and smug- and directed his eyes down to his book. He snuck shy glances throughout his study session, cheeks growing warm when Cas would laugh or smile at nothing in particular._

_He pinned for the rest of his sophomore and junior year- watching the soon to be graduate through his smudged glasses when he didn’t think he was looking._

_One Friday night a few days after school was over Dean got dragged to a party by Jo. It was in full swing when the got there, most of the people drunk and dancing wherever they could. It wasn’t much of Dean’s “scene” but Jo wanted to be there and Dean wasn’t going to let her go alone- so he went outside. There wasn’t anyone outside, just him, the buzz of bugs and a quiet summer breeze. Dean perched himself on one the lower, thicker branches of the large oak. He watched the grey tinted clouds pass through the sky, and the barely-visible stars in the murky purple of the night. He didn’t know how long he was there watching the sky but the next thing he knew someone else was on the branch with him and felt like a furnace of warmth._

_Dean turned to see who it was- thinking that it was someone like Garth or Benny who happened to show up and decided to give Dean some company- when in reality it was Cas. Switching back to his secluded mode- Dean freaked out and scooted away. Thinking that Castiel had found out his super secret crush or got tired of the not so secret stares and was going to push Dean off the branch, when Cas gripped his wrist and scooted them closer, pants brushing roughly against the bark of the tree. Dean was still hesitant about the whole matter and leaned away when Cas’ other hand held the back of his head still._

_“I’m gonna’ do something, okay?” Castiel whispered, like if he talked any louder people were going to walk out and see two very different people within kissing range._

_Dean didn’t object to anything, which apparently was good enough for Cas. Castiel pushed their heads together, lips finally touching, hot breath over lapping and making Dean shiver in the summer heat. Cas’ lips felt like a splash of water against his face, making his inexperienced lips stumble like the little waves that got pushed by larger ones. He moved his hands to grip Cas’ shoulders, moving into the kiss and trying to ignore the little cut his glasses were giving his face and how fast he was running out of breath. When they finally pulled apart Dean’s glasses were misted over and sliding down his nose, he made a small noise of protest when Castiel slipped them off and clipped them to the front of his shirt._

_Castiel gave him a sweet smile and peck his lips once more before moving back slightly, “I’ve wanted to do that since you were a sophomore.”_

_Dean looked into Cas’ eyes. He looked for a hint of insincerity, anything that told him that Cas was playing a prank on him. But he couldn’t find a speck, nothing but blue and a little glint from the porch light and sky._

_“Are you drunk?”_

_Castiel laughed, deep and throaty, “No. I just wanted to kiss you.”_

_Dean frown at the little pang of hurt in his heart, “Oh.” he moved to get off the branch, not wanting it to be just a kiss. Not wanting his first kiss to have gone to someone who doesn’t want more than one kiss._

_“Where are you going?”_

_Dean looked back at Cas from where he was moving off the branch, “Um, thanks for kissing me and all but if all you want is me for is to kiss you and stuff then that one kiss is all I can give you.” Dean felt silly telling Castiel-Freakin’-Novak no that he didn’t want to be his friend with benefits or his little joke. He should just be like everyone else and bow down at his feet and take what he can get- but he has standards and emotions too and both of those don’t take well to being nothing more than something physical._

_Castiel frowned and tugged lightly on Dean’s wrist, “What if I want more, Dean?”_

_Dean looked down to the dark bark, free hand picking at the hard wood, wincing when it got in his nails, “Don’t play with me like that.” Dean flinched back when something cold touched his faced and drifted his eyes up to see Castiel slipping his glasses back on his face._

_“I’m not playing with you.”_

_Dean studied the newly-unblurred face, “Really, like legit? You aren’t going to go tell your jock buddies to come and beat up the nerd who fell for you?”_

_Castiel looked slightly taken back, lips creasing to a angered scowl, “No. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ve wanted you since you were an underclassmen but i’m not out and now you happen to be here at the party, sitting on this tree like a little nymph all perfect and I felt like tonight was the night I was going to kiss Dean Winchester... And maybe ask Dean out for a movie or something.”_

_Dean felt a smile breaking out on his face, “Really?”_

_Castiel nodded, “Really.”_

_“Okay.”_

_“Okay..?”_

_Dean nodded, “A date tomorrow or whenever.” he slid closer to Castiel on the branch leaning into the older teen, “But right now we can continue the kissing.”_

_And they did just that._

They walked out of the house camly, both with smiles plastered to their faces and their hands entwined. He gave a short wave to his parents before slipping into Cas’ car, the leather seats making him slide down then he tried to put on the seat belt. He made a small sound when the seat belt was pushed away from his hand and warm lips were pressed to his. He moved into the kiss, loving the familiar warmth on his mouth and the chills he got from Cas’ tongue against his. He leaned into the hand on the back of his head, thumb flicking the sensitive hairs at the nape up and down. 

When they pulled away Dean leaned in and gave Cas one more kiss, sweet and chaste. He smiled at Cas’ light chuckle and let out a breathy, “Hi.”

“Hi.” Castiel drifted his hands down Dean’s face and let his thumbs run down apples of Dean’s cheeks, “You look gorgeous.”

Dean flushed and looked away from the soul-seeking eyes, “You don’t look too bad yourself.” Dean hummed happily at the peck to his forehead and tried to move into the warmth when it was pulled away. He pouted slightly when Castiel started the car and decided to instead twine their fingers between them in the seat.

The ride to the hotel that the prom was hosted at was quiet. Just the sound of cars whirring past and the soft murmur of the radio. Dean glanced over at Castiel smiling at the utter perfection that was his boyfriend. How the street lights danced across his face, the little sounds coming out of his mouth when he mouthed to the lyrics of the radio and how he looked like he was born to wear a suit constantly. 

“I love you.” Dean didn’t know why he decided to say it right now- but he did. They had told those three simple words to each other before but today it felt different. It felt real because now people are going to know that he’s going out with Castiel Novak and that Cas isn’t on the market like everyone thought he was.

It hurt him deeply when he heard girls talking about how they were going to get Cas to take them to prom and how he wouldn’t object to it because he’s single. He felt little pangs in his heart when he couldn’t go up to them and tell them that they don’t have a chance because he’s taken. 

He remembers the twist in his gut when he saw Cas visiting the school one day.

_He smiled brightly at him- forgetting just for a moment that Castiel hadn’t told anybody about them- but frowning when Castiel gave him a lingering stare and went on talking to the rest of the jocks like Dean was nothing to him. He remembers declining a pick up from the corner by Cas and walked home alone, lump in his throat and struggling to keep the tears at bay because Castiel cared more about his reputation than Dean. When he got home he ignored all the concerned looks his parents gave him and brushed off Sam when he tried to talk to him; going instead to his room where he closed the door and let his walls down. He cut off his phone after the multiple calls and texts from Cas not wanting to talk to someone who didn’t want to talk to him in the public eye. Dean had fell asleep that way, hot tears on his face and clutching his phone._

_He woke up to the feeling of fingers carding through his hair and opened his eyes to see Castiel sitting on the edge of his bed. The room was dark and quiet only their breaths in the silence and the hallway light creeping through the door. He tried to move away from Cas’ hand, not wanting to give in to someone that hurt him so much. Castiel was the first to break the silence._

_“I know i fucked up.” He said, voice low, “And i’m sorry.”_

_“Sorry doesn’t cut it.” Dean hated how broken his voice sounded, how much one man could get him so put off._

_“I know.. That’s why I told my parents and almost got beat up by your father.”_

_“What?”_

_“I told them that you were my boyfriend- they didn’t mind as long as I was happy. Then I came over here and told your parents who figured out a long time ago and got taken outside by your father who told me not to hurt his boy anymore or i’ll be the one in a more physical pain.”_

_Dean tried to make out Cas’ features in the dark but only got the sharp edges of his nose and a small gint off his eyes, “I just-” Dean sighed, not wanting to get emotional again, “I just hate how when you go to school everyone can love you but me. Everyone can talk to you but me because I know the real you- not the straight and single jock but the nice and sweet boyfriend. It sucks, you know? And i’m tired of it, Cas. I just want to be able to love you. And I can’t.” Dean shook his head and sniffed, rubbing his eyes on the backs of his hands._

_“You love me?”_

_Dean nodded and took Cas’ hand, “Yeah, a lot.”_

_“I love you too and I want to take you to prom.”_

_“Really, like dance with me, corsage and everything?”_

_Castiel laughed and laid himself down next to Dean, “Yeah, the whole nine yards.”_

_“No hiding in the bathroom or pretending you’re not gay?”_

_“None of that. Just you and me. Slow dancing and all that stuff.”_

_Dean tucked himself under Cas’ head, “Okay.”_

_“Cool, we’ll need to be matching of course.”_

_“Of course.. thank you.”_

_Castiel shook his head, “Thank you for dealing with me.”_

Castiel gave him a warm smile before turning back to the road, “I love you, too.”

Dean smiled to himself and felt the anticipation grow in his body the closer they got to the hotel. He was finally going to be seen with his boyfriend, no matter what happens tonight it was going to be perfect- he didn’t care if they were going to get looks or slurs but that he was going to be able to slow dance with Cas in front of a majority of the seniors, that he was going to be able to hold his hand and kiss him if he felt like it. 

\----

“You ready?”

Dean looked over at Castiel and nodded, “Are you?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, “I am.”

They both got out of the car in sync, doors closing at the same time and hands reaching for each other like magnets. They both laughed when they noticed what they did and gripped each other tighter. 

The walk to the dance hall was short, an escalator and a trip down a marble floored hallway. The music from the DJ could be heard thumping through the doors, they both took in a breath before Castiel pushed the door open. Dean immediately took Cas’ hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. They walked through the winding tables, sliding between the too close chairs and table edges. They found a table towards the back- empty except for the black and silver decorations and the little silver stars that dusted the table. 

Dean blushed when Castiel pulled out a chair for him to sit on but took the seat anyways, they both sat quietly for a while. Looking at everyone in their tuxes and gowns with their respective date. 

“Would you like me to get us some dinner?”

Dean let his eyes drift to the tables set up to serve the students and nodded, “Yeah, i’m getting a bit hungry. Want me to wait here and save the table?”

Castiel nodded and got up, “Please? I’d hate for you to eat standing at your own prom.” he leaned down to Dean and kissed his cheek, “I’ll be back, babe.”

Dean smiled at the display of affection and watched Castiel walk to where the tables were. He watched his boyfriend stand in line and nod to everyone who recognized him and give the people that talked to him a curt reply. He let his eyes drift to the corsage on his wrist, the flowers still fresh and slightly letting off the sweet scent of summer. 

“Oh look, it’s Winchester!” Alastair shouted next to Dean’s ear. 

Dean tensed at the lisped voice calling out to him. He looked up from his lap to see the usual bunch of bullies surrounding his table and tried his shrink himself back in his seat. 

“Come alone to prom, Winchester? Did you mom buy you that corsage?” Gordon laughed, yanking on Dean’s wrist. 

Dean pulled his wrist back and protectively covered the corsage with his hand, “No, I am not here alone. Now leave.”

Zachariah snorted, “Wow, he’s trying to be a tough guy and he’s lying about his prom date!”   
Dean flinched and tried to pull his wrist back when Azazel gripped his forearm and Gordon messed with the little clasp holding the corsage to his wrist. He didn’t want to make a scene and didn’t want Castiel to get in trouble if he saw what they were doing to him. But at the same time he wanted them to stop messing with him and for Cas to tell them something first hand. Dean tried to yank his wrist back again but only got Gordon to pull the corsage off faster and toss it up in the air. 

“I bet you helped your mom make this, huh?” Gordon tossed the corsage from hand to hand, petals crinkling and slipping to the floor.

“Stop!” Dean yelled, trying to get his voice heard over the music. He got up from his seat and tried to catch the corsage from the air- only to get pushed back down. 

“Is there a problem here?”

Dean felt himself relax into the gravelly voice. 

The group in front of Dean separated and let Castiel be seen. He had two plates of food balanced on one arm and two bottles of soda held by the caps in his other hand. Dean watched Castiel take in everything; the distressed look of Dean, the corsage falling apart in Gordon’s hand and the way all four faces had a smirk on them. 

“No problem,” Alastair answered, “just messing with a nerd.” he nudged Cas’ shoulder, “You were mister popular last year- I bet you know how to take care of nerds who don’t know their place.”

Castiel let out a small growl and set the food down on the empty table behind him, he popped his neck and moved into Alastair’s personal space, “No, but I do know how to beat the guys up that are messing with my boyfriend.” Castiel eyed the corsage in Gordon’s hand and moved to him, “And I know how to do it without the school ever figuring out who did it.”

The four goons opened and closed their mouths, trying to find their words in the wave of surprise. 

“You’re gay and going out with _him?!_ ” Zachariah sputtered, making no move to leave.

Castiel popped his knuckles, “Yeah, problem?”

“Cas-”

“What the fuck? You were the guy everyone looked up to and now you’re protecting a nerd and a fag!” 

Castiel gripped Zachariah by the front of his shirt, “Unless all of you want to be admitted to the ER tonight then I suggest you leave.” He let Zach’s shirt go and took the corsage from Gordon’s hands, “Now!”

“Are you okay, babe?”

Dean watched Castiel lose his threatening stance and kneel in front of where he was sitting, “Yes.. No- I just wanted tonight to be perfect and then that happened and now it’s ruined.” Dean picked at the seam of his pants and averted his eyes away from Cas’. 

Castiel shook his head and took Dean’s face between his hands, he placed the softest kiss he could on Dean’s lips and let their foreheads rest against each other, “No it’s not. Those guys just don’t know what an amazing person you are or what love is. I can buy you another corsage and everything but what matters most is that they didn’t hurt you. They didn’t, did they?”

“They didn’t.” Dean whispered, closing his eyes. They stayed there like that for awhile. Their breath lingering between them as they leaned on each other, Cas’ hand warm on Dean’s knee and Dean’s fingers playing with the sensitive hairs on the nape of Cas’ neck. 

The silence was broken by a familiar shrill,

“I knew it! I fucking knew it!”

Dean looked up from where he was leaning against Cas and saw Jo decked out in a deep red dress pointing at him with a smug looking Benny at her side, “Knew what?”

She pointed to Cas and him, “That y’all were going out! I totally knew it.”

Benny snorted, “She thought that those stares the other week were hiding somthin’ more.”

Castiel got up from the floor and smiled down at Dean before looking at Jo and Benny, “Well,” he shrugged, “she was right.”

They all got settled at the table, Castiel getting their food from the table he placed it on and setting it- along with the corsage- in front of Dean. There was a few moments of silence as they all ate the catered dinner of chicken and pasta before Benny spoke up.

“So how long have y’all been dating? A week, two?”

Dean cleared his throat and took a sip of his Sprite, “About a year?” he watched Benny visibly bristle in front of him and shot Cas a nervous glance. 

“A year? And nobody knew- why?” he spat out, pointedly staring at Castiel. 

Dean looked at his plate and did a little half shrug, “Cas wasn’t out and I wasn’t going to pressure him.”

“I was more of a coward than anything. I didn’t want to lose the reputation I had and in turn hurt Dean more than I would have ever wanted to.”, Castiel spoke up, lacing he and Dean’s fingers under the table. 

“So let me get this straight,” Jo said, pointing her fork at Cas, “all those times I couldn’t figure out why my best friend was upset was because you did something stupid?”

“Jo-” Dean tried to jump to get Cas off the hot plate- but was interrupted.

“Yes, most likely. But we are past that. I am out and proud to be Dean’s boyfriend.” Castiel answered, slipping the fork speared pasta in his mouth. 

Jo narrowed her eyes, “You mess up again and you’re going to meet my knife collection personally.”

Benny nodded, “I know people who won’t find your body.”

“Guys,” Dean sighed, “leave Cas alone. He’s with me now and that’s what matters.”

Castiel smiled, “And i’ll be here until you get tired of me.”

\----

Dean was slightly hesitant to go on the dance floor with Cas. It’s not that he’s nervous about the looks- and boy did the get many- but more about the fact that he might step on Cas’ foot. He’s not the most rhythmic person and he can hardly run a long distance without almost tripping over a rock.

And this was dancing. 

He hand his hands twined over Cas’ shoulder, thumbs brushing over his neck, and Cas had his hands on Dean’s waist. They were in the center of the dance floor, other couples surrounding them and moving slowly to the song that was playing. The lights were dimmed and purple tinted ones replaced them. 

Dean and Castiel leaned their foreheads together, swaying slightly with the ware of the night pressed on their shoulders. Dean pressed his lips to Cas’ and smiled when Castiel chased the movement. Other than exchanging small kisses and changing the position of their hands- it was silent between them. The music and murmur of other people acting as their background soundtrack while they were lost in each other’s eyes and kisses. 

It was cliche and perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://earth-seraph.tumblr.com/)


End file.
